Time Cycles Through Eternity

by Michael W. Stowell

October 20, 2003

I must admit that since I left civilization I have acquired a more
coherent perspective of my life, the ground I live on, the biosphere in
which I live, and of activities within the confines of geo-political
boundaries. My sleeping habits have not changed though; instead of
waking up in the middle of the night with confusion, I wake up in the
middle of the night with frustration. Therefore, I begin with thanks to
the ageless mind for my friend, Robin, who understands that I am a
writer, that I cannot not write.

Getting out of civilization is not easy for anyone, even though none of
us is born into it. Manufactured from childhood to function with and
within civilization, we do not live a natural process within its
confines. Mutant species, naked apes, lost without the natural realm;
largely by our own hands we have mutated ourselves and created the
present and unprecedented, unnatural state of affairs, the suicide of
the species, the ecocide and death of our planet's life.

Whatever path you choose, emerging is the most natural thing to do.

Staying out took several attempts; persistence and willful resistance
becomes unrelenting motivation. These days, "croatan" is as much a
perspective as a place and those damaged by civilization, then young
again in this world outside civilization, prefer dwelling in quietness
and sleeping in "natural" and "wild" nests, in the borderland. From
here, at the edge, just outside, patterns emerge with greater definition
and the perspective and distance comfort us.

Therefore, it is for those of us out here in croatan, and those edging
their way here, to sort through humanity's frantic and dysfunctional
extravaganza and bring clarity to human consciousness. On this occasion,
I will expound from the middle, that is easiest for our middle-minds,
and move toward the apex, then into the singularity.

Within the hierarchal order, within the confines of geopolitical
boundaries, we see activity becoming more frantic and dysfunctional. The
superstructure of civilization teeters in the winds of time, too rigid
for survival, collapse inevitable, on a foundation long-rotted, with
very dangerous explosives and fallout inside.

Through Realpolitik, the story, extreme polarization is increasing and
causing emotional detachment from nature, the collective mind of all
life and its companion. Civilization is running its course, finishing
its race, and the story is unfolding with a view toward Armageddon, the
final chapter.

Why would anyone hope for anything less? A quick and uproarious end to
the capitalization of all things will leave us with more life than if
the demise is postponed. Why prolong the suffering; why offer fixes; why
not help with the demolition? If not for the explosives and fall-out,
and the potential for collateral damage, I might not care about those
struggling to hold the structure together, that they are blind to their
own, inevitable destruction and that of the structure itself.

Then again, here in croatan, we have no enemies, only friends.

In its polarized state, our species does not seek or receive nature's
consciousness, our commonality with all life, but rather excitation and
engagement of the most rudimentary senses, those selfish and remote from
nature. Commodification of the universe has become the basis for human
existence within the bounds of hierarchal order, and human concepts of
ownership have created master/slave relationships that nature, through
cycles of time, will inevitably reverse.

We enslave many animals for use as food, clothing, cosmetics and
cultural fancies. Then we find they are disappearing because we care
little for their natural state and habitat, nor comprehend their
importance. They cannot survive our enslavement and are abandoning us in
huge numbers, leaving us to our own devices.

We enslave the land, demanding it produce for us the crops we use for
our existence, consumption and pleasures. We plow it, we seed it, we
irrigate it and we harvest, only to find that soil is the underpinning
of all life and that we destroy it when we enslave it.

We enslave energy and commodify it. Those materials used to produce the
energy we depend upon are finite and the means of production are
inefficient, but we continue to use them as if they have no end. However, the
end is quickly upon us.

Here at the apex, sitting out here on the edge, wondering how it all
went so wrong, the depth of civilization's depravity strikes me. The
overwhelming length and breadth of misunderstanding, misguidance and
mischief is undoubtedly a consciousness with an accompanying belief
system as ancient as human history. Where did it come from; what is its
genesis?

It was created through creation stories.

We have all heard them, though not all of them, for there are many and
many have been lost. I have never heard of an indigenous people without
at least one creation story; many have several. Numerous religious
orders share the most prevalent of creation stories and I suppose we are
all familiar with it: "In The Beginning, God."

Whether animals or humanlike, deities reign, create and destroy; they
usually have names and exhibit human characteristics, that makes it much
easier to identify with them. Upon reflection it is clear that all
creation stories share one aspect though, that of hierarchy.

Therefore, they are all superstitions.

The genesis of the universe condensed into energy and matter as it
expanded to its present form and stasis. It is quite clear that
singularities have attraction for each other, as evidenced through
observation of binaries, and not only consume all energy and matter but
assimilate each other as well. Near the end of this time-cycle, energy
and matter consumed, singularities will draw toward each other,
collapsing the universe to its genesis, again. One time-cycle ends and
another begins.

It is important to remember that life created within a time-cycle is a
naturally occurring process, it occurs throughout much of a cycle, is
broadly distributed, and occurs within every time-cycle. Life does not
create the time-cycle or energy or matter; it does recreate itself and
procreate other life, and inevitably creates consciousness.
Consciousness exists in conjunction with life, it is as fragile, is
extinguished as easily, and is not created by anything other than life.

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